Calibrachoa plant named ‘Duealtinice’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Calibrachoa  plant named ‘Duealtinice’, characterized by its compact, outwardly spreading to trailing and decumbent plant habit; freely branching growth habit; early flowering habit; numerous large red purple-colored flowers with dark purple-colored centers and venation; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Calibrachoa sp.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DUEALTINICE’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Calibrachoa plant, botanically known as Calibrachoa sp. and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Duealtinice’.

The new Calibrachoa plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create new uniform Calibrachoa plants with large attractive flowers.

The new Calibrachoa plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in July, 2008 in Rheinberg, Germany of a proprietary selection of Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number A07-5153-002, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number A07-1354-001, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Calibrachoa plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany in May, 2010.

Asexual reproduction of the new Calibrachoa plant by vegetative terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany since May, 2010 has shown that the unique features of this new Calibrachoa plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Duealtinice’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Duealtinice’ as a new and distinct Calibrachoa plant:

-   -   1. Compact, outwardly spreading to trailing and decumbent plant         habit.     -   2. Freely branching growth habit.     -   3. Early flowering habit.     -   4. Numerous large red purple-colored flowers with dark         purple-colored centers and venation.     -   5. Good garden performance.

The new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in plant habit as plants of the new Calibrachoa are more compact than plants of the female parent selection. In addition, plants of the new Calibrachoa and the female parent selection differ in flower venation color as the flower venation of plants of the female parent selection is bluish in color.

The new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in branching habit as plants of the new Calibrachoa are more freely branching than plants of the male parent selection. In addition, plants of the new Calibrachoa and the male parent selection differ in flower venation color as the flower venation of plants of the male parent selection is bluish in color.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of Calibrachoa ‘KLEC04088’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Calibrachoa differed primarily from plants of ‘KLEC04088’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa were more compact than plants         of ‘KLEC04088’.     -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had larger and darker         green-colored leaves than plants of ‘KLEC04088’.     -   3. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had larger flowers than plants         of ‘KLEC04088’.     -   4. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and ‘KLEC04088’ differed in         flower color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Calibrachoa plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Calibrachoa plant.

The photograph is a top perspective view of a typical flowering branch of ‘Duealtinice’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the summer in 10.5-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Rheinberg, Germany under commercial Calibrachoa production practices. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged 18° C. and light levels averaged 4,500 lux. Rooted young plants were pinched one time three weeks after planting and were 13 weeks old when the photograph and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Calibrachoa sp. ‘Duealtinice’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number A07-5153-002, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number A07-1354-001, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five days at 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About seven days at 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             weeks at temperatures of 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at temperatures of 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, outwardly spreading to             trailing and decumbent plant habit; freely branching habit             with about 10 to 15 lateral branches; pinching enhances             branching; vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 12 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 30 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 11 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 2 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 1 cm.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Aspect.—Initially upright to outwardly spreading to trailing             and decumbent.         -   Texture.—Pubescent.         -   Color.—Close to 144C. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Before flowering, alternate, simple; after             flowering, opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 2.2 cm.         -   Width.—About 6.6 mm.         -   Shape.—Oblanceolate.         -   Apex.—Rounded.         -   Base.—Cuneate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.         -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:             Close to 137A; venation, close to 144B. Developing and fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 137C; venation,             close to 144B.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 2.6 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 144B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single salverform flowers             arising from leaf axils; freely flowering habit with usually             about 50 open flowers and flower buds per plant; flowers             face upright or outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Early flowering habit, plants of             the new Calibrachoa initiate and develop flowers about four             to five weeks after planting; plants flower continuously             from the spring until the autumn in Germany.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about seven to ten             days on the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Flower diameter.—About 3 cm.         -   Flower length (height).—About 2.5 cm.         -   Flower throat diameter.—About 7 mm.         -   Flower tube length.—About 1.5 cm.         -   Flower tube diameter, base.—About 2 mm.         -   Flower bud.—Shape: Elongated oblong. Length: About 2.1 cm.             Diameter: About 6 mm. Color: Close to 74A.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and             opening into a flared trumpet. Petal length from throat:             About 1.8 cm. Petal lobe width: About 1.2 cm. Petal shape:             Roughly spatulate. Petal apex: Rounded and shallowly             cordate. Petal margin: Entire. Petal texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Throat texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Tube texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Petal, when             opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 74A. Petal,             fully opened, upper surface: Close to 74C; towards the             margins, close to 155D; venation, close to 77A; color             becoming closer to 79A with development. Petal, fully             opened, lower surface: Close to 74C; venation, close to             200A. Throat: Close to 13B; venation, close to 199A. Tube:             Close to 150B; venation, close to 200A.         -   Calyx.—Arrangement: Star-shaped calyx with five sepals;             sepals fused at the base. Sepal length: About 1.2 cm. Sepal             width: About 2.2 mm. Sepal shape: Lanceolate. Sepal apex:             Acute. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close             to 138B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 7 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Angle:             About 45° from stem axis. Strength: Moderately strong.             Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 143C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity/arrangement: Six per             flower. Filament length: About 9 mm. Filament color: Close             to 145C. Anther shape: Ellipsoidal. Anther length: About 0.5             mm to 1 mm. Anther color: Close to 14A. Pollen amount:             Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 14A. Pistils: Quantity: One             per flower. Pistil length: About 8 mm. Style length: About             7 mm. Style color: Close to 144D. Stigma shape: Ellipsoidal.             Stigma color: Close to 144B. Ovary color: Close to 144C.             Seed/fruit: Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Calibrachoa. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have been observed     to have good garden performance and tolerate wind, rain and     temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 40° C. -   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Calibrachoa. 

1. A new and distinct Calibrachoa plant named ‘Duealtinice’ as illustrated and described. 